Mercy Tagoe needs our full support

Unexpectedly, Mercy Tagoe Quarcoo, who was appointed the assistant coach of the senior female national team, the Black Queens, has been entrusted with the job, albeit temporarily, following the departure of her boss, Masa Ud Didi Dramani, to take up an offer in Denmark.

With virtually no experience in handling any of the national teams, doubts are already being raised over her ability to handle such an important and delicate job, more so in such a significant year when Ghana is hosting the 11th Africa Women’s Championship (AWC).

She comes to the job with a very enlightened study of the game, having begun this steady career and association with football as a player. She played for Bluna Ladies and Supreme Ladies, both defunct teams in Tema, and was part of the Queens squad that played and finished second in the maiden AWC in Abeokuta, Nigeria, as well as qualified Ghana for its first Women’s World Cup (WWC) in the USA in 1999.

After hanging her boots, she took to refereeing, rising to become a FIFA referee who handled a FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup match. She established her credentials as being among the best in refereeing and beat the men to pick the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) and the Premier League Board (PLB) Best Referee of the Year award.

All this while, she was also grooming herself as a coach under the tutelage of the likes of the late Ben Koufie, Sam Arday and E.K. Afranie.

She became the first female coach to handle a male team, Amidaus Professionals, before joining Halifax Ladies. Her appointment as the assistant coach of the Queens, therefore, did not surprise many, as it was considered a perfect grooming plan for her future.

Unfortunately, she did not get the chance to really understudy Didi Dramani because after her appointment earlier last year, the Queens never had the chance to train or begin their rebuilding exercise until that hurriedly arranged training for the international friendly against France.

It is true that not all good footballers turn out to be good coaches, but having women handle national teams at top levels is quite rare, and that is why the Graphic Sports supports the Ghana Football Association’s (GFA’s) decision to let her handle the team, at least for the WAFU competition.

There is no doubt that she has what it takes to handle the team, given that she has been part of all the crucial technical aspects of the game. She will require the support of every stakeholder, especially the technical directorate, led by her own mentor, Francis Oti Akenten, to be able to succeed.

With FIFA clamouring for more women to play significant roles in national women’s teams, Mercy’s appointment is a step in the right direction and will even encourage more women to remain in football long after their playing days.

Already, Nigeria has shown the way with Florence Omagbemi, the captain who led the team to their first AWC title, who has come back to lead the team as a coach to win their latest AWC title in Cameroun. Desiree Ellis of South Africa, who also played for and captained the Bayana Bayana, is now the coach of then team and she hasn’t done badly so far.

Mercy can also be part of these history makers, as she is competent and capable. The experience will come on the job and the support we decide to give her.

Let it be positive support, though, and let’s spare her any criticisms that will demotivate her and break her down even before she gets down to serious work.